Whilst the language of learning at ABIS is English, we are an international community with a diverse linguistic repertoire. For the majority of our students, English is a second language, and in some cases, a third one. When it comes to English language acquisition, translanguaging is evidence-based and an important 
part of any teacher’s toolbox.
part of any teacher’s toolbox.Translanguaging happens organically between students in the classroom, and playground . In Grade 7 we intentionally guide our students to use their home language as a bridge to new vocabulary and conceptual understanding. For example, this week in Individuals & Societies, we used Freyer model’s to build our understanding of some key vocabulary we will use in the new Geography Unit – “Maps & More Maps”. This included finding the equivalent word in our home languages.
In English Language & Literature, students had to plan and write their own Myth, using some of the writing conventions they have been learning about throughout this unit. Planning was broken into a series of parts, which they worked through using a Graphic Organizer. For students who are still at the early stages of learning to communicate in English, having the opportunity to use their home language in the planning stages of this assignment, allowed them to write more imaginatively and at greater length. The final product will be in English, and using various tools to translate their ideas from one language to another, supports the acquisition of both language and AtL skills.
